NEWS RELEASE: NWT Government Recognizes and Celebrates Two Geoscience Milestones

Yellowknife, NT (October 25, 2012) “This year … marks the 10th anniversary of the NWT Geoscience Office … as well as the 40th anniversary of the Yellowknife Geoscience Forum, both notable achievements,” so said the NWT Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Dave Ramsay in the Legislative Assembly yesterday.

The Minister went on to say: “The NWT remains a land of opportunity. Our mining, oil and gas industries rely on modern, accessible geoscience information to make investment and land use decisions. Investing in geoscience programs attracts investment to our territory and creates spin-off exploration projects that will provide employment and business opportunities for NWT residents.

The Northwest Territories Geoscience Office provides governments, industry, Aboriginal organizations and many other stakeholders with up-to-date, easily accessible geoscience information. This information is key to encouraging investment in mineral and petroleum exploration.”

President of the Chamber of Mines, Pamela Strand said, “We are very pleased to hear Minister Ramsay explain that for every dollar invested in government-funded geosciences in the NWT, five dollars are in turn spent by our mineral exploration companies. And since the NWT is one of the least mapped regions of Canada, we are also very pleased that the NWT Government will continue to support the work of the NWT Geoscience Office.”

The Minister also celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the Geoscience Forum. “I want to congratulate the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines in reaching this historic milestone. The forum is many things to many people: a meeting place, a place to exchange information and ideas, a social event, a place to do business and an opportunity for our southern neighbours to understand Yellowknife winters. There is no other conference quite like it and newcomers continually marvel at all that is offered. It is the biggest conference in the North. Last year saw over 800 people registered for the event and this year promises to have the same high turnout. I thank both the Chamber of Mines and the NWT Geoscience Office for all their work in hosting this annual event, and congratulate them on a successful 40 years.”

For more information on the NWT and Nunavut mining industries, please visit the website at http://www.miningnorth.com/ or contact Tom Hoefer, Executive Director at Tel: 867-873-5281 or email:executivedirector@miningnorth.com.